Life-saving suit.



G. BALOGH.

LIFE SAVING SUIT,

APPLICATION FILED was. me.

1 21 1 942, Patented Jan. 2, 1917.

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G. BALOGH.

LIFE SAVING SUIT.

APPLICATION mm AUG.9, I916.

Patented Jan. 2, 191?.

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RG L BALOGH, or DETROIT, MICI-IIlIGAN.

Application filed August 9, 1916.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GERGELY BALOGH, a subjectof the King of Hungary, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne andState of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inLife-Saving Suits, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in lifesaving suits.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a water-proofsuit adapted to be readily put on by a person for preventing theclothing from becoming wet when swimming in the water, an adjustablefloat being secured to the suit preventing the drowning of the wearer.

A further object of the device is the provision of a water-proof suithaving an en circling pneumatic float arranged thereon at substantiallythe waist-line andbeing vertically adjustable for maintaining theequilibrium of the wearer when in a floating position in the water, akeel member being arranged for assisting in maintaining a forward courseof travel during the paddling operation.

With these general objects in view and others that will appear as thenature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in thenovel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinaftermore fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and thenclaimed.

In the drawings forming a part of this application and in which likedesignating characters refer to corresponding parts throughout theseveral views:Figure 1 is a front elevation of a person provided withthe present device illustrated in the act of inflating the float member.Fig. 2 is a cen tral radial horizontal sectional view of Fig. 1 throughthe float member. Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the centralportion of the device partially broken away, and, Fig. 4: is a verticalsectional view taken upon line IV-IV of Fig. 2.

The present device broadly consists of a suit 10 formed of water-proofmaterial and adapted to be worn over the clothing of the personcompletely enveloping the latter excepting the neck and head, the saidsuit being arranged with an adjustable encircling pneumatic float 11.

The suit 10 is arranged with boot portions 12 for the feet and withglove portions 13 for the hands of the wearer while the LIFE-SAVING-SUIT.

Patented Jan. 2, 1917.

Serial No. 113,922.

shoulder portions of the suit are divided as at 14 having connectingshoulder straps 15 for retaining the suit upon the person whenoperatively arranged.

The/float 11 is of circular tubular form preferably made of rubber andhaving an air entrance tube 16 for inflating the same, a valvedmouth-piece 17 being provided for the said tube whereby the wearer mayblow air through the tube 16 into the float 11. A further pipe 18 isalso provided for the float 11 having a valve 19 being designed forallowing the air to escape from the float as well as to be filled fromany form of air compressor.

The float 11 is provided with horizontally arranged strengthening cords20 and similar vertically positioned cords 21 intermediately arrangedwithin the float. A hollow tail or rudder portion 22 is provided at therear of the float 11 communicating with the interior thereof, the saidrear portion being formed of two sections 28 oppositely positioned anddownwardly tapering, providing parallel keels 24 arranged within thewater beneath the level of the float 11 when the float is positionedupon the water. The arrangement of the keel members is best illustratedin Figs. 3 and 1 of the drawings, the same acting as a rudder fornormally maintaining a direct forward course when the wearer of the suit10 is paddling with his hands.

Depending straps 25 are carried by the float 11 having button-holes 26adapted for engaging desirable ones of a plurality of series of buttons27 circumferentially positioned upon the suitlO and at substantially thewaist line thereof. The float 11 in this manner may be secured at thedesired height upon the suit to accommodate the wearer and maintain theproper equilibrium when positioned in the water.

What I claim as new is:

1. A life saving apparatus comprising a suit having a plurality ofseries of circumferentially arranged buttons adjacent the waist-linethereof, an encircling pneumatic float removably attached to the saidbuttons in its adjusted operative position, and an inflated double keelportion provided at the matic -float adjustably attached to the saidsuit and at substantially the Waist-line thereof, diametrically arrangedreinforcing cords secured Within the said float, and arear-vwardly-extending divided rudder portion carried by the said float Withthe interior thereof in communication With the pneumatic chamber of thefloat and" arranged with depending downwardly converging parallel keelportions extending beneath and 10 rearwardly' ofthe said float.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

GERGELY BALOGH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. GI

